Thank you for giving me
· A husband who is a true soulmate
· Parents who have always tolerated, loved, accepted, supported, guided and done everything without judgment or condemnation
· A sister and brother-in-law who are my personal Rocks of Gibraltar
· An adorable niece who has brought a burst of sunshine into my life
· Friends who are always there to laugh and cry with me & for whom I would do anything (P, K, P, D and D you know that!!)
· In-laws who are accepting, undemanding and kind
· A job that is fulfilling and rewarding
· Health of body and mind, with occasional bouts of stress to keep me on my toes
· Time to enjoy creative pursuits
· Resources to travel and experience new lands
· Freedom to practice my religion and speak my mind
· The luxury of not having to worry where my next meal is coming from
· Knees that can bend and a head that can bow in gratitude
I hope all of you had a blessed and wonderful Christmas. Every time, I step into my home after a tiring day at work, my spirits get instantly uplifted by the sight of our Christmas tree, all decorated and lit up. Look at this picture and I’m sure you’ll agree :)
Since we got married, A and I have started a tradition of hosting an open house both for Diwali and Christmas. Just another excuse (not that we need any!) to bask in the company of friends, enjoy a glass of wine & a spread of festive goodies, and of course share in the love, laughter and goodwill that the season personifies.
My contribution, this year, to the party table was Marzipan. This recipe was generously shared by my colleague, C who also bore the brunt of my frantic calls to her when I was struggling to get the mixture to set at just the right texture :)
Marzipan (Cashew)
Ingredients
Cashewnuts - ½ kg
Sugar - 1 kg
Egg whites - 2 nos
Rose water - 1 glass
Vanilla essence - few drops
Food colour as per choice
Method
1. Grind the cashews and sugar separately to a fine powder
2. Add vanilla essence to egg whites and beat till stiff.
3. Mix all the ingredients well and cook on a slow fire, stirring constantly till a wax like consistency is formed.
4. Just before the mixture comes together in a ball, take off fire.
5. Divide into parts, add different colours to each part and knead well.
6. Sprinkle mould with icing sugar. Place small balls of dough into moulds to get desired shapes.
7. Leave under the fan to dry and store in an airtight container.
My tips
1. You may use powdered sugar. In case you do, be sure to sift the sugar before using, else the lumps will get in the way
2. If the mixture is too dry, use a little rosewater / regular water while kneading.
3. If you have used additional water to knead, then you will need to store in the fridge, else these will stay good even if stored at room temperature.
Have a wonderful 2010 everybody! Don’t ever stop loving, don’t ever stop believing, don’t ever stop being grateful!
